Pass The Paddles Tackles Left Behind
Aha, got a neat email from the LA Weekly's Joshuah Bearman, who notes: "Just wanted to alert people to some coverage of [Christian PC RTS] Left Behind: Eternal Forces in Pass the Paddles, the LA Weekly/Voice's video game column. In addition to parsing the false theology of the Rapture, I point out that the leftie critics are just as hypocritical."
An excerpt: "...The Rev. Tim Simpson, who heads the Christian Alliance for Progress in Jacksonville, Florida, has publicly said the many theological shortcomings of Left Behind are "antithetical to the gospel of Jesus Christ." True enough, but so are most video games. In this case, the axiomatic hypocrisy of the religious right, usually first out of the gate to denounce violence in games but staunchly defending Left Behind, is surely matched by that of a group called Campaign to Defend the Constitution, a group asking that the video game be removed from store shelves."
Bearman continues: " It may seem sinister (or ingenious, depending on your perspective) to embed millennial religious war into a goal-oriented interactive experience, but it¹s just a game. No one is going to ponder eternal salvation from clicking an icon of hands clasped in prayer. For the same reason that Doom did not create any sociopaths, Left Behind will not flood the ranks of Christian warriors." The interesting thing here, of course, is whether the controversy will create major sales for what is, by all accounts, a pretty awful game.
Comments
Wouldn't Doom have created a generation of demon-hunters? People always forget that you're gunning down the minions of hell, not even Earthly Nazis who may have had a chance of redemption.
Posted by: anonymous | January 5, 2007 3:12 PM
This statement is posted from an employee of Left Behind Games on behalf of Troy Lyndon, our Chief Executive Officer.
There has been in incredible amount of MISINFORMATION published in the media and in online blogs here and elsewhere.
Pacifist Christians and other groups are taking the game material out of context to support their own causes. There is NO “killing in the name of God” and NO “convert or die”. There are NO “negative portrayals of Muslims” and there are NO “points for killing”.
Please play the game demo for yourself (to at least level 5 of 40) to get an accurate perspective, or listen to what CREDIBLE unbiased experts are saying after reviewing the game at www.leftbehindgames.com/pages/controversy.com
Then, we’d love to hear your feedback as an informed player.
The reality is that we’re receiving reports everyday of how this game is positively affecting lives by all who play it.
Thank you for taking the time to be a responsible blogger.
Posted by: SJR | January 12, 2007 11:24 AM
Hey, with so many people having an opinion about this game, how many have actually played it? And what credibility do they have? Focus on the Family has publications which can set the record straight for everyone…at http://www.pluggedinonline.com/thisweekonly/a0002989.cfm.
Posted by: NYC | February 6, 2007 7:17 PM